1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a plating cell having isolated catholyte and anolyte regions, wherein the isolated regions are separated from each other by an ionic membrane. Further, embodiments of the invention relate to the chemistries used in the respective anolyte and catholyte chambers of the plating cell having the isolated regions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Metallization of sub-quarter micron sized features is a foundational technology for present and future generations of integrated circuit manufacturing processes. More particularly, in devices such as ultra large scale integration-type devices, i.e., devices having integrated circuits with more than a million logic gates, the multilevel interconnects that lie at the heart of these devices are generally formed by filling high aspect ratio, i.e., greater than about 4:1, interconnect features with a conductive material, such as copper or aluminum. Conventionally, deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) have been used to fill these interconnect features. However, as the interconnect sizes decrease and aspect ratios increase, void-free interconnect feature fill via conventional metallization techniques becomes increasingly difficult. Therefore, plating techniques, i.e., electrochemical plating (ECP) and electroless plating, have emerged as promising processes for void free filling of sub-quarter micron sized high aspect ratio interconnect features in integrated circuit manufacturing processes.
In a conventional ECP process, for example, sub-quarter micron sized high aspect ratio features formed into the surface of a substrate (or a layer deposited thereon) may be efficiently filled with a conductive material, such as copper. ECP plating processes are generally two stage processes, wherein a seed layer is first formed over the surface features of the substrate, and then the surface features of the substrate are exposed to an electrolyte solution, while an electrical bias is applied between the seed layer and a copper anode positioned within the electrolyte solution. The electrolyte solution generally contains ions to be plated onto the surface of the substrate, and therefore, the application of the electrical bias causes these ions to be urged out of the electrolyte solution and to be plated onto the biased seed layer.
Conventional electrochemical plating cells generally utilize an overflow weir-type plater containing a plating solution, which is also generally termed a catholyte herein. The substrate is positioned at the top of the weir during plating and an electrical plating bias is applied between the substrate and an anode positioned on a lower portion of the plating solution. This bias causes metal ions in the plating solution to go through a reduction that causes the ions to be plated on the substrate. However, one challenge associated with conventional plating cells is that the plating solution contains additives that are configured to control the plating process, and these additives are known to react with the anode during plating processes. This reaction with the anode causes the additives to breakdown, which generally renders the additives ineffective. Further, when the additives breakdown and are no longer able to facilitate process control, then the additives essentially become contaminants in the plating solution.
Additionally, other conventional plating cells have implemented a porous membrane into the plating cell that operates, to separate an anolyte solution (discussed herein) from the plating solution or catholyte. The intent of this configuration is to prevent additives in the plating solution from contacting the anode and depleting or degrading. Conventional applications of the porous membrane include microporous chemical transport barriers, which are supposed to limit chemical transport of most species, while allowing migration of anion and cation species, and hence passage of current. Examples of conventional membranes include porous glass, porous ceramics, silica aerogels, organic aerogels, porous polymeric materials, and filter membranes. Specific membranes include carbon filter layers, Kynar layers, or polypropylene membranes.
However, in similar fashion to weir-type plating cells, conventional cells that use porous membranes to isolate the catholyte from the anolyte have also been shown to leak additives through the membrane, which allows for the additives to again contact the anode and deplete. Additionally, conventional membranes present challenges to maintaining plating metal ion concentrations in the catholyte solutions. More particularly, conventional membranes generally allow several different types of ions from the plating solution to pass therethrough, and as such, the plating metal ion transport is hindered, as these ions must compete with the other ions to pass through the membrane. As such, conventional plating cells that attempt to isolate the catholyte from the anolyte are generally ineffective in preventing plating solution additives from reaching the anode, and further, generate plating metal ion diffusion challenges.
Another challenge associated with conventional plating cells that utilize a membrane to separate the anolyte compartment (the compartment adjacent the anode and below the membrane, i.e., where the anolyte solution comes into contact with the anode) from the catholyte compartment (the compartment above the membrane, which is generally a plating solution that contacts the substrate for plating) is that the anolyte makeup causes copper sulfate precipitation, which is detrimental to plating. Further, conventional membrane and anolyte configurations suffer from poor or uncontrollable copper transport parameters, which generates inconsistent plating results. Conventional plating cells have attempted to address this situation via use of membranes that are known to be poor copper conductors, and then bleeding a portion of the inherently copper rich anolyte into the catholyte to make up for the poor copper transfer. Although this process may be effective for increasing the copper concentration in the catholyte, it also suffers from control problems, such as copper concentration fluctuation and concentration control of the catholyte, since anolyte is continually being added thereto. Additional challenges presented by convention anolyte concentrations include undesirable hydrogen transport through the membrane from the anolyte to the catholyte, which results in an increased sulfuric acid concentration.
Therefore, there is a need for a plating cell and chemistry configuration configured to minimize additive breakdown at the anode, while allowing for adequate metal ion permeability from the anolyte to the catholyte.